See more at The Sentient Bean.

Well worth a listen:

Doug traveled south with a slightly different lineup for this tour. Josh Michels was along again on cello and accordion, but instead of more strings and vocals like last summer, the band had tremendous percussion work from Rob Germeroth. That change meant quite a different show, but a no less satisfying one. The Sentient Bean’s main dining room was pretty much full, with the audience rapt.

The room’s hard surfaces can be a little harsh sometimes, but the sound was particularly good because of the story quilts made by kids at the West Broad Street YMCA with the guidance of Loop It Up Savannah.

The quilts made a nice backdrop for the few photos I took. Harsh light, lots of equipment, Doug’s pale Michigan skin, the fact that I didn’t budge from the couch during their set — there are always some obstacles for my photography work.

Here’s a recording from last August, live:

A few pics:

The Accomplices have been playing a lot of gigs around Savannah lately — including the excellent Homegrown Holiday Hoedown in the American Legion ballroom in December.

From The Sentient Bean:

The Accomplices a lowcountry string band from Savannah, Georgia, is a unique sort of rock and groove-based blues-grass with overtones of jazz and bohemian country. With acoustic/effected guitars, upright bass, percussion, mandolin, and fiddle, their playing is one cross-genre blend of musical style and influence that will engage every type of listener.

Lobo Marino is the musical response to the travels and ongoing spiritual journey of members Jameson Price and Laney Sullivan. During a year long trip in South America, Price and Sullivan encountered one of their spirit guides, the enormous Pacific Sea Lion, also known as “el lobo marino”. […]

Antique Animals is a band of misfits formed by Joseph Shuck in the summer of 2010, in Jacksonville, FL. What began as a 2 piece acoustic folk group, quickly transformed into a 6 piece band whose sound is a melting pot of alternative, folk, rock, pop, and Americana. Backed by local Jacksonville musicians Milan Algood (drums), Michael Boff (bass), Angel Garcia (keys), Daniel Hunting (guitar), and Sergio Valdes (trumpet), Shuck gives life to his songs through passionate live performance, and soulful songwriting.

The Accomplices

And this looks like a particularly good gig, with its mix of local and touring talent.

Mains has a voice that embodies a variety of contradictions — it seems both young and old, pure and raspy.

The group played The Sentient Bean a few months ago, and I’d say pretty confidently that everyone in attendance was transported somehow by the music. (And that was before the Bean got their wine and beer license.)

A highly, highly recommended gig that will also feature singer-songwriter Adam Sams, whom I heard only briefly in a previous Savannah appearance.

There are some great tunes by Doug Mains & the City Folk in the videos embedded here, but my favorite I think continues to be “The Mountain’s King”, which leads off this embed from Bandcamp:

The lineup of Doug Mains & the City Folk for the South for the Winter tour.

I took a few pics back in August, when the band had a slightly different lineup:

Christian Lee Hutson is a member of The Driftwood Singers, but he’ll be on his own for this gig. He has a good, twangy sound:

Mumbledust is a Savannah act:

Shawndra Russell’s Music Matters column in Do in the Savannah Morning News covers Mumbledust this week:

Rachael Perisho (singer and musical saw player) and Ryan McCardle (banjo and guitar player) have combined their talents in Mumbledust to create a sound they call folk noir/dark folk.

Of their name, Ryan says: “I think itâ€s very telling of the sounds we make and the words we speak — very gentle and minimal with some concern for the happenings of the past.”

I have yet to hear Mumbledust, but I like the ethereal sound.

And a reminder as you think about whether to check out these two acts: The Sentient Bean now serves beer and wine.

With very little notice, they played recently at The Sentient Bean before a rapt audience. (I suspect things were a bit rowdier at a house party they played later with Triathalon.)

Not being familiar with the Christ, Lord’s originals, I especially appreciated a couple of Tom Waits covers from his album Rain Dogs. I’m always telling great young bands to weave a few covers into their out-of-town sets, but few seem to understand how important that can be to reel in new fans.

Christ, Lord has an upbeat gypsyish folk sound with excellent musicianship and an occasional biting edge.

The band is comprised of Christian Ballew , Brandon Camarda , Ryan Gregory , Ryan Lamb , Billy Mitchell , and Adam Mincey . There’s more on the band’s Facebook page and a couple of full albums — one of which is embedded here — on Bandcamp.

I sure hope Savannah becomes a regular stop for the Atlanta-based band.

A few pics from the Bean, click for larger versions:

River Whyless (formerly Do it to Julia) is based out of Asheville, North Carolina and has quickly become known throughout the southeast for their fresh sound and the energy of their live show. With a graduate of Appalachian Stateâ€s School of Music and a classically trained violinist, River Whyless combines technical skill with the creative gifts of the bandâ€s co-songwriters Ryan Oâ€Keefe and Halli Anderson to produce an unclassifiable sound.